1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of UO.sub.2 in which ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) is a wet intermediate contaminated with ammonium carbonate, and washed with methanol to purify and dehydrate the AUC.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method is known for the production of UO.sub.2, in which ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) is obtained as an intermediate product precipated from an aqueous solution, and is washed as well as dehydrated by means of methanol. Such a method has been proposed in the German Published Non-Prosecuted Application 2 222 527; it has as its purpose to dehydrate the AUC and to reduce its fluorine content.
The methanol after use for this purpose, has absorbed approximately 50% water and also contains up to 10% ammonium carbonate. It furthermore is radioactive due to small quantities of uranium and daughter elements of uranium (thorium 234).
It is not possible to recover the methanol by customary distillation methods, as the ammonium carbonate content would clog up the rectification column and especially the condenser in a very short time.